


The Chase

by TheFluffiestSheep



Series: Mermaid AU [2]
Category: GOT7, JJ Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bottom Park Jinyoung | Jr., Brief Depictions of Violence, Fights, Implied/Referenced Abuse, JJ Project - Freeform, M/M, Mating, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Romance, Threats of Violence, Top Im Jaebum | JB, jjp, jjproject, mermaid au, merman au, nothing to do with Jaebum or Jinyoung though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-05-13 01:22:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14739428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFluffiestSheep/pseuds/TheFluffiestSheep
Summary: Instincts are what drive all the merfolk in the newly arrived mating season. Jaebum is following his. Will them lead him to the perfect mate?And if they do... will they also drive them apart??Man I suck at summaries...help.





	1. Selection

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, if you guys read my other fic Dreams of the Ocean, you'll know that it had teeth-rotting fluff (or so I hope), but one thing I wanted to try was a more animalistic driven perspective, with more focus in instinct so I'm trying to keep from writing dialog which is a bit challenging. So here it goes!  
> If you guys think of a more interesting title suggest away! I'm not sure whether I'm keeping this one.

Jaebum could smell them already, the overwhelmingly sweet scents brought by the sea currents awakening his and everyone else's most primal instincts. The chase was about to begin.

Like the sun always rises, so does the mating season come each year. And this year was the first that Jaebum was participating in. The other merfolk that would participate made for an aura of tension and adrenaline, growls increasing as time was passing, and while it was fairly uncommon to be retaining any ounce of sanity by now, Jaebum still found on himself the coherence to nod at his friend in greeting. Jackson, the golden tailed merman, had retributed the greeting, but Jaebum noticed how wild and dark his eyes were becoming, no doubt in his mind that his would look the same by now.

The noise was increasing as more and more mers became unsettled, finally reaching its peak when the Moon finally reached its zenith, signaling the beginning of the chase.

Flashes of every color disturbed the currents as dozens of mers rushed back and forth, seeking the ones they would deem the most desirable mate. Left and right, it looked like a battle scene, the seeking mers were fighting each other over their desired choice and the chased mers, those who were able to bear child and were currently driving everyone mad with their scent, fought off their suitors viciously, demanding them to prove worthiness of their time, which lead to many mers, mermaids and mermen alike, to forfeit the chase, the brutal wounds not allowing them to fight and make the chased submit, therefore rendering them ineligible to continue the chase.

Jaebum followed his sense of smell, swimming deeper into the battlefield. At some point he had looked at his left side and noticed the golden tailed merman being tended to by an aquamarine tailed one. It looked like Mark had put up one hell of a fight, as a long bloody gash spanned most of Jackson’s back. In the end though, the chaser had won, therefore, his newly claimed mate was making certain that the would he had inflicted himself would not reflect any trouble in the future.

Jaebum's focus changed when a bigger commotion brought all nearby merfolk’s attention to it, among chasers sparring between themselves a painful scream had been heard as one more bloodied mer gave up the chase. With curiosity winning over safety, Jaebum swam closer, his bright red tail cutting the distance to the center of the commotion quickly. In the very center, he found a sapphire blue tailed merman fighting off two other mers.

The merman’s tail glistened as if it was made of crystal over sapphires, and Jaebum’s eyes roamed from his tail to his unmarred chest to his face. The mer’s pump lips stretched over a snarl which revealed his sharp canines, eyes blazing as he used his claws to slash the green tailed merman who tried to make the raven haired beauty submit to him. Blood poured from the gashes, leaving a lovely contrast between alabaster skin of his hand and red liquid and as the injured mer forfeited the chase, Jaebum found his eyes staring at the victorious merman, only to be met with a smug smirk. It was as if the little fry was actually challenging him, Jaebum, the fastest mer of this year’s chase. But before the red tailed mer could even open his mouth, there was flash of blue and a multitude of bubbles, not a single one of them having the time to pop before no one was in front of him anymore.

Jaebum had been surprised at the quick escape, but it wasn’t long before he found his smug merman dodging chasers left and right on front of one of the sunken ships. He was by far the hardest mer to catch the had ever been seen, twirling his tail gracefully before wounding yet another cocky merman and swimming away in a flash, putting more distance from those who targeted him.

Jaebum tried to approach him, but found his way blocked by those who shared the same interest as him. Challenged for his right to keep pursuing the chase, Jaebum fought several of them, his claws making quick work of the now retreating mers.

When he searched again for the blue tailed merman, he found him lying belly down on the top of a rock, head propped up on his hands and tail swishing in the current with eyes trained on Jaebum, he seemed to be evaluating his chaser. Measuring Jaebum’s worth.

That semblance of calm didn't last long however, as as soon as Jaebum swam on his direction, the mer's eyes darkened, he hissed in his direction and dashed away, which lead to Jaebum chasing him again, determined not to let him escape again this time.

From what he’d seen, the sapphire tailed mer had considerable strength in his tail, which meant Jaebum had to be conscious about it smacking against him. He was also fast with his arms, dangerously fast as many others had witnessed before, the evidence of it being the blood stained hands of the escaping merman, none of it his own.

When he finally reached the merman, he reached for the tail where it stretched into fins and pulled on it hard, dragging its owner down. He had a really close call with the swing of the blue tail, and he was certain it wouldn't have missed had he not predicted that move.

They circled each other, eyes on eyes, teeth bared in a snarl and an offensive stance that made the waters around thick with tension.

After mutual measuring, where each mer appraised his opponent, eyes shifting along the length of their bodies, Jaebum noticed the other merman was a tiny bit smaller than him, and while he was nicely built, Jaebum knew he was stronger, but not enough to underestimate the blue tailed, as he had already proved to several opponents that that was not a wise choice to make.

He barely noticed a slight shift on the waters before the tension broke and Jaebum had a clawed hand swinging at him. He retracted his right hand claws, as he did not wish to harm and grabbed the dainty wrist, earning a hiss from the other, who thrust his tail against his side on an attempt to release himself.

With the force of the impact, Jaebum released the blue tailed mer with a groan, but quickly reacted by attempt to wrap his red tail against the blue one, which distracted the other enough to force the other’s back to be towards him, a strong arm pulling him towards his chest. The other mer looked into his eyes over his own shoulder, and for the first time, he saw something akin to fear in the black orbs. He knew that the more ruthless and vicious mers took to strangling the chased, ruining their sensitive vocal cords and destroying the voices for ever in the effort of making the captured mers submit to them either by giving up the struggle or by losing conscience, sometimes even accidently choking them to death, reaping selfishly a life in a brutal manner just to have it their way.

Jaebum, however, did not have the intention of using that “method”. The beginning of his pursue had been due to curiosity at first and then the challenge. After seeing this mer gracefully and efficiently getting rid of a significant number of opponents, he decided he’d prove his worth and take him as a mate. And he was not about to hurt the one he seemed would bem his match.

Jaebum coiled his tail more tightly against the other’s, practically immobilizing him from the waist down, and only moving when necessary in order not to sink. As the blue tailed mer became more agitated, Jaebum knew he'd also have to capture his hands, or else they’d hurt each other. He retracted his claws and after quite the struggle and quite a few gashes in the arm that kept the other close he was able to immobilize the blue tailed mer’ arms, crossing them over and pinning them against the other's own chest. It had taken a lot of endurance, as the mer in his arms did not give up for way longer than Jaebum had expected taking into account how long he’d already been fighting before Jaebum even caught sight of him. He wondered how much harder it would be to grab him had he been more tired.

He let them sink to the white sands, where he waited until the other completely gave up, as he’d still been sporadically trying to release himself.

Hours passed by until the blue tailed mer finally became lax against his body, heart beat finally calming down and submitting to the victor of their encounter.

At that, Jaebum slowly released the other’s arms, running them to help circulation return in a slowly manner, as not to scare the other and eventually letting go off his tail.

He heard a slight whisper, and he knew at last the name of the beautiful mer after all this time.

Jinyoung.

He saw Jinyoung finally turning towards him, his black eyes fully taking in up close who had been able to defeat him, penetrating eyes seemed to attempt to see into his own soul. And between attempting to run away again or submit, it had seemed he made his decision.


	2. Mating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry it's taking so long, but I got a 10h job just recently, and not only the commute takes an hour, but I also have to study for the Uni exams... I want to throw myself out of a window. T.T

Jaebum's eyes followed the lines of the Jinyoung's body as he laid himself on the soft white sands, exposing his vulnerable abdomen and by doing so, fully submitting to Jaebum. His dark long lashes spanning over the fair skin of his cheeks as he looked up the shyest he’d been until now, even if there was still a hint of a somewhat defiant glint in his eyes. It was obvious that, while his face tried to keep the blank mask at place, Jinyoung was nervous, burying his hands in the sand as if to find some kind of purchase, however, if he only suspected of foul play, there would be hell to pay for.

In that moment, Jaebum's instinct was pulling him in two different directions. One of them urging him to claim the mer as it was his right, to mate and breed the defeated mer and make everyone aware that Jinyoung was his now. The other, however, was the instinct to care of his future mate, he could smell the slight distress coming from the merman and as a colony defender, his nature was to protect, even more when taking into account this was a precious fertile mer, essential for the preservation of their own species, so Jaebum felt a strong pull to comfort the nervous merman.

He slowly took one of the hands that had been tensely buried on the sand and took it to his lips, press a kiss on the back of it, holding it gently with his own, while he lifted his gaze to Jinyoung. Said mer looked a bit surprised at the gesture, but he gave Jaebum a small smile which the red tailed mer returned in double before positioning himself over Jinyoung, which seemed to make his nervousness return but on a smaller scale when compared to before. Sensing the tension, Jaebum caressed the other's cheek, enamoured with the way the other mer seeked the comforting touch, as he nuzzled his head against the red tailed mer’s hand,  eyes like black pearls never leaving his.

Jaebum could not move his gaze from the beauty beneath him, his eyes coming to focus on the plump pink lips that he ended up pressing slightly with his thumb, as if testing their softness, which Jinyoung answered by kissing the pad of the finger in an almost unperceivable press of lips.

Jaebum knew he wanted to make this mer his mate, and he wished to claim him, have him bear his offspring, his instincts kept telling him to hurry up before anyone dared to try and steal him from him and, judging by Jinyoung's quickly expanding pupils and completely faded distress, he knew the other mer had to be feeling something similar, after all, Jaebum was a very conveted merman and it would not be strange if someone tried to seduce him away from Jinyoung, who had many merfolk wishing they could be in his place.

Jaebum's hand drifted lower, caressing all the way from his neck down to his abdomen where he splayed his fingers on Jinyoung's stomach, moving them until they were over the other’s womb, eyes finding his and trying to convey his intentions, to which the blue tailed mer tugged on his bottom lip with his front teeth and nodded, aware of what this action meant and therefore accepting to mate with Jaebum.

Slowly, the red tailed merman deposited a chaste kiss upon Jinyoung's lips, as if sealing a promise between both of them. When he pulled back from it leaving the tips of their noses still touching, he slightly opened his eyes and found the other had done the same, finding the dilated pupils that definitely matched his own.

Underneath him, he could see how Jinyoung was flushed, and how his tail swished from side to side, akin to the animal humans called cat when locking eyes with a prey, he could also feel the younger's heart’s accelerated beat where their chests touched, their shared warmth rising on the cold waters of the ocean. Above of it all, the blue mermaid’s scent was peaking, his body recognising the presence of a potential mate and pumping pheromones to lure him in.

And lure they did. Jaebum nosed at the side of the younger’s neck while his hands caressed the unmarked body, making goosebumps rise on the supple skin until he reached Jinyoung's hips. There, he made slow circular moves with his thumbs, feeling the transition where soft skin met delicare blue jewelled scales while Jinyoung threaded the fingers of his right hand on Jaebum’s hair, the other circling Jaebum’s waist and pulling him towards himself, their tails coiling around each other.

Looking into Jinyoung’s hooded eyes, Jaebum knew it was time, he moved one of his hands to fondle the younger’s organ, which was now exposed, uncovered from where it was protected behind pelvic scales much like his own. He’ perked up as he heard the blue tailed mer gasp, moving the other hand to touch around the area where his entrance was and assessing whether the younger was ready to take him. A moan left Jinyoung’s lips, and the red tailed mer took advantage of the distraction to quickly take himself in hand, align with the now visible healthily flushed looking entrance and thrust inside as he bit Jinyoung where his neck met his shoulder.

The pain of the bite together with the sudden penetration made Jinyoung whimper. He knew the bite was not only a way to tame unruly mers, so that neither of those engaging in the mating act would be hurt, but it also instigated ovulation on the chased, therefore raising the odds of a gestation. Jaebum stilled his hips to let the younger adjust to the stretch and quickly set to soothe the pain of the bite by licking and kissing the area apologetically while stroking Jinyoung’s member, trying to make him overcome pain with pleasure.

It wasn’t until the mer under him began canting his hips up, trying to get Jaebum deeper, that the red tailed merman started moving in slow increasingly deeper thrusts, reveling in Jinyoung’s pleasured moans and the deep toned purr the younger was currently emitting. He brought his lips to Jinyoung's, massaging them and prodding with his tongue until Jinyoung gave him access, tongues battling for dominance before they settle just to purely taste the other.

When they separated, he watched as Jinyoung sultrily licked his lips and Jaebum’s more savage side took over. Having a beautiful fertile mer willingly being mated to him and visibly enjoying himself made him groan in satisfaction, a rumble deep in his chest resonating and harmonizing with Jinyoung’s purring like sound. He was sure that he’d successfully breed the blue tailed mer at the first try, and if he didn’t, judging by the way things were going, they would probably not wait too long before trying again.

His thoughts dispersed as Jinyoung forcibly moved against him, clearly trying to make them pick up some more speed and increasing the depth of the strokes, something to which Jaebum complied, reveling in the tight slick warmth of the other mer, whose moans were getting increasingly louder as pleasure seemed to be nearly at its peak.

All it took was a particularly angled thrust and Jinyoung was throwing his head back in rapture, black hair splayed on the white sand, eyes firmly closed and lips parted, only connected by a thin strand of saliva. The image of his partner in ecstasy and the sudden tightening of his entrance made Jaebum lose it. Gritting his teeth, he coiled his tail even tighter around the younger’s and after a few increasingly erratic thrusts, he finally spilled inside Jinyoung with a deep groan, the blue tailed mer mewling as he felt liquid warmth being pumped inside.

He opened his eyes and peered at his mate, whose lips curled up in a satisfied smile, cheeks rosy with a flush gave him an healthy look. Jinyoung gave him a playful squeeze where he was still inside him, and Jaebum once again reflected on how he’d been lucky to get this wonderful specimen.

It was only when he’d gone completely soft that Jaebum pulled out of the other mer, a hint of pearly white peeking from the red slit that had accommodated him. Jaebum’s animal instinct rejoiced at having been able to mate with such a strong and beautiful mer, who’d most certainly give them strong and healthy offspring.

As a few drops spilled, he groaned and pushed them back in with the pad of a thumb, making sure all of his seed would be kept in the other in an almost obsessive manner. This made him hear a low chuckle above him and as he looked to Jinyoung, the other returned Jaebum’s gaze and signaled him to lay beside him, purring in contentment when Jaebum pressed a kiss against his reddened lips, wrapped him protectively in his arms and the blue tail in his red one.

They would soon have to find a safe place to go, the open ocean waters too dangerous for a mating pair to have their defenses low, but for now, they’d stay in the comfort of each other's arms.


	3. A Different Perspective

Jinyoung woke up to the feeling of warmth enveloping him. Although he was mildly confused at first, when he opened his eyes he quickly understood what was the cause of the cosy feeling. Carefully wrapped around him, the mer who’d been able to keep up with him and win their encounter snored lightly, dark hair floating gently with the current.

Jinyoung took this time to really look at the red tailed mer. He knew Jaebum was handsome but now he could really appraise his mate unabashedly, appreciating how his sharp features had soften in his sleep, attention being caught in the pink lips that had been upon his own and drifting to the lovely twin moles adorning the other’s eye. 

When the day before he had been fighting left and right the numerous chasers he had noticed a beautiful red tail, but he had no time to pay too much attention, as the chasers might use the distraction to use some dirty trick as many had tried before. 

When he quickly got rid of his opponent at that time, his eyes had met the red tail’s owner’s, noticing how the other was staring. Fuelled by the victories and the unmoving stare of the other merman, he hadn’t been able to keep himself from smiling smugly and swim away as fast as he could,eager to see whether the other might chase him.

He had decided to swim towards the sunken ships, aware that all the nooks and crannies of the wooden vessels could be a potential hiding place. A lone merman had seen him however and let a creepy smile when he appraised Jinyoung, making an attempt to grab his tail and quickly regretting underestimating him, as the blue tailed mer quickly slashed him and swam away, keeping the red merman chasing him. Said merman had been cut off by a multitude of mers who were eager to fight him for the right to chase Jinyoung.

Jinyoung had then watched as Jaebum as he made quick work of all the mermen and mermaids that got in his way, red tail glistening as it rippled in the water with the agility this mer was proving to have. The blue tailed mer settled to lay on a rock that had a perfect view of the altercation, observing how the other mer had gritted his teeth, jaw jutting forward as he hit a vicious mermaid with his tail while twisting another attacker’s arm.

Strong, agile and handsome, a potencial worthy mate, all that was left was to make Jinyoung himself submit, and he wasn’t about to let it happen without a fight. It was then that the red tailed mer found him, and as he had approached him, Jinyoung let his instinct take over, hissing at the other and putting some distance between them.

They started fighting, but not too long into it, the strong coil of Jaebum's tail had distracted him enough for the other to gain advantage, panic consuming him as he felt himself pulled back against the mer’s strong chest and was reminded of the brutality with each some of his kind had had their throats destroyed in similar situations. Jinyoung had started thrashing around, trying to get himself free and clawing at Jaebum's arms. To Jinyoung's surprise, the other had retracted his claws and gripped his arms, tightening his hold on him and letting them sink. He had also been surprised at how, for hours, the red tailed mer had made no move towards threatening or hurting him, when he knew that it was not so uncommon for chasers to force themselves on the captured mers. 

While he still had somewhat scared, Jinyoung tried to let himself relax, and soon after he did, Jaebum freed him, even rubbing his arms in a comforting way.

Jinyoung had searched for Jaebum’s eyes, knowing that since he had been released he’d probably be able to escape if he really wanted to, but something in Jaebum's warm but piercing eyes told him he needn’t to. Part of it was because of the way the other seemed to calmly appraise his reaction, not pressuring him in any way, how he’d treat him with care even as Jinyoung hurt him and finally, because Jinyoung could not deny he really would be the perfectly fit for a mate, a healthy, strong and handsome mate that all matured mers couldn't help but wish for.

Although he was still a bit wary, he laid himself on the sand, exposing his vulnerable abdomen in silent submission, hands closed in tight fists by his side, buried on the soft sand. He saw Jaebum eyeing how he was finding purchase there and then watched surprised as the other lifted one of his hands, opening the tense fist and planting a sweet kiss on its back. It would seem he really had been lucky with this mate of his, and the thought brought a small smile upon his lips that Jaebum returned fully.

He’d been nervous when the other moved on top of him, the red tailed merman had seemed gentle and thoughtful until now, but there was no guarantee he’d stay that way, Jinyoung was well aware of how many merfolk were forcefully mated, and although he was a strong mer, there was no doubt Jaebum would be at advantage, especially considering his vulnerable position.

But then, just as before, Jaebum comforted him, his gentle hand caressing his now reddening cheek and Jinyoung couldn't help but nuzzle against it, appreciating its warmth. He also looked up bashfully at the chaser, and saw how his blown pupils focused on his lips, a stray thumb testing their softness.

Shivers went down his spine and goosebumps rose in a trail everywhere where Jaebum's hand touched as it moved from his neck and dragged over his body, before resting upon his belly, where he splayed his fingers possessively before meeting his eyes.

He understood immediately the other's intentions. Jaebum wanted to mate with him, he wanted him to bear his offspring. It shouldn’t be so surprising, after all, that was the reason behind the Chase, but to have this merman showing him respect by silently asking instead of just taking and treating him with so much care not only made him feel desired but also made him desire in return. He acquiesced, nodding his consent and he could feel already how his body was flushing when he thought of the perspective of being bred by the red tailed merman.

Jaebum smiled softly before kissing him chastely. Jinyoung, however was not on the mood for any chastity anymore, not while sensing how his body was pumping pheromones, his scent permeating the waters around them, so he swished his tail seductively, all hesitation fully gone.

Apparently it had worked all too well, since Jaebum had immediately taken to nose at his exposed neck while running his hands over his body. Jinyoung could not help but shudder and pull the other merman further on top of him with the hand that was not pulling slightly at Jaebum's hair and his tail.

The other responded by taking his exposed organ into his hand, forcing a gasp out of Jinyoung as he was fondled. He could also feel how even lower, the protective slit that covered his entrance had started to open, no doubt also prompted by Jaebum's exploratory touches that left him moaning with pleasure.

He did not, however, expect that Jaebum would pick that moment to penetrate him without any warning while biting his throat, and the sudden pain made him whimper. Although he had not liked it a all, he knew why the other had done it, and he forgave him further when Jaebum started kissing the hurt skin apologetically while keeping himself still inside Jinyoung so that he could surpass the pain, even offering a helping hand by stroking his neglected erection.

The feeling of being stretched fully by Jaebum's member was unlike anything he’d felt before, he marveled about how hot it felt, even if it had hurt when the same hardness had made its way parting his soft walls. The other was terribly still, and he knew the merman was making an effort to let him adjust, but right now, it was as if Jinyoung was feeling an itch inside that only could be helped by Jaebum so he began moving himself, canting his hips up in an effort to pull Jaebum further inside. When Jaebum understood his intentions and started moving, Jinyoung had felt himself drowning in lust, letting out a purr punctuated with pleasure filled moans until the red tailed mer claimed his lips, the kiss far from gentle this time, as lust fuelled the fight between their tongues that left Jinyoung licking his own lips after, chasing the taste Jaebum left there. Hearing the red tailed merman groan above him, Jinyoung couldn't help but notice how the other seemed partially lost in thought while gazing at him with lidded eyes and decided to take matters into his own hands, moving himself against the other and forcing his erection deeper and faster inside, letting pleasured groans leave his reddened lips as the other's member dragged against all the right places. In the end, a perfectly aimed thrust made him see the stars as he threw his head back on pleasure, his whole body arching as he felt himself tightening around Jaebum.

There was however nothing more satisfying that the feeling of his mate spilling himself on him, leaving his instincts fully sated as he let out a mewl at the hot warmth filling his insides.

It was only then that their eyes met again, and he smiled once saw he had Jaebum's attention fully on him, squeezing lightly where they were still joined.

Now, with Jaebum asleep, Jinyoung distractedly moved the tips of his fingers towards his entrance, feeling the slickness there and shuddering at the reminder of how the red tailed merman had made sure not to have anything spill from inside. The memories of their mating were fresh on his mind and quickly taking over him, as his body seemed too hot all of a sudden and his mate’s scent too alluring mixed with his own. He hadn't really noticed how he began brushing his tail more intensively against Jaebum’s, only being aware of the delicious friction without thinking about its source. 

 

That was until he noticed the pair of eyes that stared right at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I knooooowwww!!! It's been too long since the last chapter and here I am with a pov change of scenes that already happened... But... but... I really wanted to write Jinyoung's POV and exams while you're working? B*tch, I wake up tired and I go to sleep exhausted even getting up to get something to eat seems like a chore... I need a vacation! T.T
> 
> If you enjoyed or just want to say hi, pls leave a comment or a kudo, it's like food for the soul XD


	4. Trouble in Paradise

Jaebum had been deep into his sleep when something started rubbing insistently against his tail, prompting him to slowly wake up.  However he did not open his eyes until he heard a muffled gasp, his senses seemingly awake now as he was also hit by an increasingly familiar sweet scent.

When he opened them though, he could not help but stare. Jinyoung looked like sin, flushed with arousal, pupils blown and releasing small moans while shallowly dipping the tip of his middle finger inside himself.

Jaebum felt himself harden, licking his lips when Jinyoung finally noticed he had an audience and met his eyes, his cheeks going from a delicate pink to a lively red in a shockingly small amount of time under the red tailed mer's intense gaze.

Jaebum then moved on top of the worked up merman, groaning when he took his wrist and saw white liquid clinging to the tip of the finger and quickly aligned their growing erections, the velvety hot pressure making both of them shudder. Jinyoung took this time to drag his nails over Jaebum's chest, appreciating the low rumble the other mer produced because of his ministrations.

Jaebum though, started grinding in a slow rhythm against Jinyoung, increasing the temperature between them and taking advantage of how the blue tailed mer threw his head back in pleasure to start nipping at his already marked neck, littering it in fresh red marks and enjoying Jinyoung's whimpering, who in turn, was leaving two pretty sets of red parallel lines on his back.

The red tailed merman detached his mouth from the younger's skin only to lick a small line from his neck to immediately below his ear, tasting the salty and sweet mixed taste and biting lightly the earshell, which led Jinyoung to moan grab Jaebum’s buttocks, pulling him insistently towards him and increasing the intensity of the friction between them.

It was then that Jaebum covered Jinyoung's mouth with his own, tongues moving languandly against each other as each of them taste the other, licks and nips from both sides making the liplock wilder the longer it lasted. Without interrupting the kiss Jaebum slid his hand across Jinyoung's body, groping his chest and feeling the firm muscles ripple against his palm until he reached his destination, slipping a finger inside Jinyoung's warmth and swallowing a resultant moan while he himself groaned at how warm and slick the other felt, that and how full he still was, more white liquid spilling as Jaebum added another finger, making sure to stretch the younger enough to take him without discomfort. When with third finger Jinyoung started growling impatiently at him, the red tailed merman started licking nipping and kissing his neck, giving him a few seconds before he sank his teeth there in a gentler bite than the day before as he breached Jinyoung's entrance once more. This time, however, Jinyoung's moans did not denote the pain they had the previous mating and he barely let himself and Jaebum adjust to their joining before persuading the red tailed mer to pick up speed.

And speed up was what Jaebum did, fuelled by the hormones in the water, the sounds of their mating, the view of his mate taking his member in a hot wet and tight embrace provoking while fluids to leak out with each delicious press inside and Jinyoung's moans of encouragement, Jaebum gritted his teeth and fucked his mate hard and fast, feeling how the other’s blue tail coiled tightly around his own, and watching as Jinyoung's eyes rolled back on pleasure, jaw slack as a wail like sound left his bitten red lips, abused with how he had tried to keep part of his moans to himself. Seeing his mate in such a wrecked state was bringing him closer and closer to his limit so, without faltering his rhythm, he sneaked a hand around the other's flushed member, paying special attention to the head, which was the same red as Jinyoung's lips, and was awarded a high pitched cry and a vice like grip as Jinyoung spilled over his fist and clamped around his member. The tightening around him was the final push and soon, Jaebum was filling up Jinyoung again, the blue tailed mer whimpering with each pulse of cum entering him.

Carefully, Jaebum removed himself from Jinyoung, laying on his side by the blue tailed mer, eyes caught on the other's rosy cheeks and pink parted lips. It was a view he hoped to retain forever, but right now, it was time for them to find shelter as the waters were getting considerably darker with the beginning of the nightfall.

Jaebum specially was adamant about finding them a cave, in his urge to provide safety for his mate. Jinyoung however, did not share his opinion, much preferring to try to convince Jaebum for them to go find some medicinal algae so he treat the chaser’s arms, which were covered in scratches and gashes from when Jinyoung had struggled in his grip. But Jaebum was not to be convinced, dragging Jinyoung behind him as he searched for shelter until finding a decent sized cave for the both of them. 

Most of the cave opening was however obstructed by a heavy bolder, and it would need moving before they would be able to enter. As Jinyoung tried to move it, Jaebum pulled him away, motioning him to stay still as he moved the obstacle, he seemed to catch a slight displeased look in Jinyoung’s face, but he soon forgot it as both of them entered the cave to inspect it.

As the necessity for shelter was taken care of, Jinyoung intended to leave the cave to grab some of the plants he’d need to bandage Jaebum. Alas, he found himself barred from the exit of the cave, the red tailed mer wanting to go by himself, insisting that Jinyoung should stay inside, to be safe. A fuming Jinyoung acquiesced, but not without protesting, as Jaebum left to get the needed items.

Jinyoung hummed as he busied himself making the cave more comfortable, clearing the space so they'd have at least a rock free patch of sand to sleep on for now, and it was to his soft sounds that Jaebum returned, soon depositing the algae on Jinyoung's extended hands before settling for sitting on a rounded rock that Jinyoung had placed near the entrance of the cave, allowing them to have the light they needed to check the wounds state.

While the blue tailed merman focused on treating the red cuts and slashes that littered Jaebum's arms, the chaser took this time to observe Jinyoung, noticing how his lips formed an unhappy pout. As Jinyoung finished, Jaebum smiled at him and pressed a sweet kiss on his forehead, Jinyoung's pout had however stayed in place. He frowned, musing whether it was because of the damage he sported or something else entirely, he figured that was likely it, but he couldn’t put a finger on what it could possibly be making Jinyoung this frustrated.

It didn't take long, as he definitely was able to when Jinyoung made a motion to leave the cave, intending to go hunt for food and Jaebum stopped him and made him sit down where he had sat previously, telling he’d go and provide for them. That is, until Jinyoung started growling at him, a snarl marring his pretty features as he accused Jaebum of treating him like he was incapable, like he was made of fragile glass, the thumping of his tail smacking loudly against the sand as Jaebum reiterated that the other mers would smell he’d been bred recently and instinctively try to replace his seed, even by force.

At this, Jinyoung outright hissed at him, making it very clear that Jaebum's overbearing and overprotective attitude wasn’t to his liking, after all, he'd been perfectly fine alone all this time not needing anyone to coddle him, and he definitely had bested many mers at the chase. To which the now angrier Jaebum answered that it wasn’t like he hadn’t been defeated, otherwise, they would not be having that argument.

It was right then that he saw Jinyoung’s eyes change, the usual warm eyes just went completely cold, face blank, void of emotion. He quickly regretted his words seeing how the blue tailed merman’s stance got rigid, still like a statue until he finally moved.

 

And before Jaebum could even try to apologise, Jinyoung was gone into the night.


	5. A Bigger Reason

Days have come and gone and Jinyoung was still missing, even if Jaebum had not given up on searching for him high and low, the blue tailed merman seemed to be pretty good at vanishing without a trace. Although Jaebum had become quite acquainted to the younger’s scent, which had been strong due to the mating season, following it only lead him to their cave, which made him wonder whether Jinyoung had hidden his scent or, what he feared the most, had been either caught by humans or mated by another mer, effectively changing it beyond Jaebum’s recognition.

No matter what, he needed to find him, not only to apologize, but because his instinct called for his mate, it was like having a nagging empty feeling that only Jinyoung could fill.

~~~~~~~~

A blue tail propelled its owner’s body in a lightning fast movement as he victoriously snagged the yellow croakers in front of him. The victorious feeling however, didn’t last long, as Jinyoung was reminded of the last time he’d eaten this particular fish.

The red tailed hunter who had caught it for him had smiled so openly after seeing how Jinyoung was visibly excited with the catch that he had promised to get him all the fish he could ever want just to see him happy.

His smile dropped as he wondered if he had been too rash on making the choice to leave Jaebum. Yes, it annoyed him to no end that he was being treated like fragile glass, but was it not what every other mer would wish from their mate? And even although he was not every other mer, shouldn’t he have directly told Jaebum he didn’t like being treated like he had to be constantly taken care of instead of just lashing at him? He looked at the shipwreck he’d made his temporary home while he thought on what to do. He understood that Jaebum had also been pampering him because he might be carrying his child, and even if it wouldn’t make such a difference in these first weeks, he was urged to take care of his family.

 

Family.

 

That word made Jinyoung place a hand on his flat stomach and think of the blood red scales he’d come to love in such a short time. He was interrupted from his thoughts when he saw a loud group of three mers approaching. Jinyoung quickly hid between the tall kelp he’d been hunting near of and studied the group. The two large mermen and mermaid seemed to be following some trail of sorts, and apparently, they were swimming in his and Jaebum’s cave’s direction.

 

~~~~~~~~

After fruitlessly looking for Jinyoung once more, Jaebum had returned to their cave. It was not huge by any means, but it was comfortable, and in the short time he and Jinyoung had been together it had become home. It didn’t feel much like home now though, the absence of his mate making it colder in his eyes, not to mention too much quiet.

The quietness however, was what allowed Jaebum to notice the ruckus outside. And when he carefully peeked outside, he saw two mers that he immediately recognized. Red Chasers. Chasers that had not found success in their chase, marked and wounded by escaped mers, wounds still bright red, reverted to fully animalistic instincts irreversibility and got together in groups to follow mated mer’s scents, their usual behaviour was to kill the chaser of the pair and forcefully mate the other in turns, leaving afterwards in search for the next pair, their only objective to produce as many offspring as possible.

It was obvious they had followed Jaebum and Jinyoung's scent back to the cave, hoping to kill the red tailed merman and take Jinyoung for themselves. And although Jaebum was confident in himself, he knew that their complete disregard for pain when on the hunt would be a difficult obstacle. It seemed that the only good thing that had come out of Jinyoung leaving was that he would not be in danger.

It didn’t take long before those outside noticed him and soon, a blown out fight was happening between Jaebum and the two savage mermen.

The red tailed mer had to make use of all of his strength and agility, dodging tails aimed at his head and torso while trying to answer back, his fully extended claws maiming the limbs that became too close to him.

A powerful smack to his side made him stagger a bit, preventing him to fully dodge the next attack, and it was enough to leave him a gash across his chest, the pain raising his adrenaline levels to the maximum leading Jaebum to wildly and recklessly fight the mers, his fury making him a dreadful enemy to have as he delivered blows left and right, it made him, however, unaware of what was happening behind of him.

The remaining member of the group, a mermaid with a crazy gleam in her eyes raised a bloodied trident, aiming at the red tailed merman’s back.

Jaebum heard a high pitched screech and as he looked behind and saw the maimed body of a mermaid he had not seen before, a flash of blue got in front of him, blocking the attack the two Red Chasers were about to make taking advantage of his distraction.

In front of him, a snarling Jinyoung all but ripped apart of one of the Red Chasers’ hand with his claws, making a blood curdling scream rise from the now handicapped attacker. Jaebum had to snap out of his surprise as the Red Chasers focused Jinyoung, after all, he was the prize they had been looking for in the first place, but now, with the sneaky mermaid out of fight, the numbers were equal, and although the attackers had a lot of raw strength, Jaebum and Jinyoung, beside being good fighters any other day, now had even more of a reason to win. Each other.

With Jaebum’s strength and Jinyoung’s agility, the others had no chance. While Jaebum was able to make them stagger with the impact of his blows, Jinyoung made them scream as he effortlessly swam around them making blood taint the water red everywhere his claws touched.

Eventually, as the mated pair retreated to regain positioning, faster than it was to be expected with the wounds they sported, the Red Chasers picked up the body of the dull colored mermaid that had fallen victim to Jinyoung’s wrath and fled, a trail of blood following them as they disappeared in the horizon.

Jaebum had made a move to follow them, probably wanting to finish them off, but Jinyoung stopped him. The sea had a lot of dangers after all, and it was likely that, with the seriousness of their wounds they would not survive.

Finally, after all this time, Jaebum got to look at Jinyoung, still not believing his eyes. His mate had seemingly escaped unscathed from the fight and stood still by his side, looking contrite, eyes not leaving a patch of sand beneath them.

Jaebum, feeling more alive than he had been in the last few days moved to the front of the blue tailed mer, wrapped his arms around Jinyoung’s waist, pulled his closer to him and searched for his eyes,  which were still cast down. When they finally made eye contact, Jaebum was reminded of all the reasons why he’d chosen Jinyoung as his mate, his strength, his beauty, the sense of challenge, and he couldn't help to raise a hand and caress the side of the blue tailed mer’s face, Jinyoung’s whole stance going from slightly tense to fully relaxed. Suddenly, it was as if they never were apart. There was however a newfound respect for each other. Still wishing for more closeness, Jinyoung answered the affection by nuzzling his head against Jaebum’s shoulder encircling him with his arms in return.

 

In the now calm waters, the only sounds were those of their swaying entwined tails, cutting through the small current and the deep satisfied rumble that came from inside both of their chests.


	6. A New Development

The encounter with the Red Chasers brought them closer in more ways than one. Not only they had fought for each other, strengthening their bond, but also if on one hand Jinyoung had proven once more his capability to fend for himself and therefore convinced Jaebum he needn’t be so protective of him, on the other, Jinyoung had also witnessed one of the reasons why Jaebum behaved the way he did, if the group had found him alone, he wasn’t sure whether he’d be victorious against them. The simple thought of being taken by force was repugnant to him, and each time he caught himself thinking about it, he’d go immediately to Jaebum, taking comfort in his mate’s presence.

After they had been reunited, it had been hard to let go of each other for more than a few minutes, Jinyoung had dragged Jaebum to the medicinal plant area so he could treat the cut on his chest and Jaebum had insisted on keeping him close when they both hunted for food.  
Although before Jinyoung might have felt put off by the proximity they were having by understanding it as overprotectiveness, he now craved being near his mate. Besides, it was not like Jaebum minded having Jinyoung glued at his hip, specially since they had been apart a couple of weeks so close after their mating, and the red tailed merman for sure felt the urge to strengthen their bond.  
Now, after hunting for food or useful trinkets they usually found near sunken ships, more often than not Jaebum curled around him in the nest they had put together in their cave, nuzzling their cheeks together and stroking the sapphire tail with his own ruby one. His affection seemed to escalate these last few days and, for once, Jinyoung didn’t mind it at all, it seemed that his mind had finally caught up with his body, as the attention always had felt good, but Jinyoung had not been able to keep from trying to read too much into it for a while after they had gotten back together.  
He was even the one who most seeked affection from his mate nowadays, puckering his lips for sweet kisses that Jaebum didn't hesitate to give and nudging him slowly with his tail when he wanted them to groom each other's scales.  
Sometimes, the grooming would turn into something more, more sensual, more carnal, more intense, more passionate and the blue and red tails would wrap around each other when the mers worshipped each other's bodies into the night.

~~~~~~~~

Jaebum was sharpening a spear that he tended to use when hunting when he felt his mate’s presence behind him. He put the weapon away, fully expecting Jinyoung to wrap himself around his shoulders as he had taken to do lately, this time however, Jinyoung moved from behind of him and sat on his lap. The red tailed mer had been somewhat surprised, but what drew his attention in was the intense look in Jinyoung's eyes. He made a confused inquisitive sound, and the blue tailed mer took his calloused hand gently, placing it on his belly.  
Where Jinyoung's tummy had always been flat there was now a small, hardly noticeable but definitely there bump. Jaebum's wide open eyes found Jinyoung's, and he buried his nose where the other's neck met shoulder and inhaled deeply, and surely, hidden still by the mix of their scents, there was the sweet scent of a new life.  
The red tailed merman’s face splitted in the widest smile as he looked at his mate, whose curled up lips soon opened to mimic Jaebum's expression.  
The younger giggled happily and Jaebum pulled the blue tailed mer closer to him and squeezed him in a hug as he peppered his face with kisses.

~~~~~~~~

  
Jinyoung had been daydreaming as he searched for the molluscs he was craving lately. The squid he was currently eyeing however, took advantage of his lack of concentration to make an escape, leaving Jinyoung sulking. It did not last though, as when he looked on the direction it had swam away, he saw that Jaebum had caught the slippery snack and brought it to him.

Lately, Jinyoung had felt his appetite increase and Jaebum had been more than happy to provide him all the food he could get his hands on, taking pleasure in seeing his mate healthy and well nourished, even more with the recent news.

Focused on all but devouring the poor squid, Jinyoung did not notice as the red tailed merman moved behind him, only becoming aware of it when a hand pulled something around his neck and a light weight touched his chest.  
Looking down, Jinyoung saw a delicate silver chain and threaded through it, a blood red scale contrasted his pale skin, shining like a jewell even in the water filtered light.

Squid forgotten, Jinyoung turned to Jaebum, eyes widened. Mermaid scales didn't grow back, and given how their display was their most precious asset, losing one was tremendous, even more because they kept them protected from such things as infections and foreign objects. Giving one just like Jaebum had was usually reserved for lifetime mates, it was a loyalty promise, it was giving part of himself.

While Jinyoung stood frozen with his mouth agape, Jaebum just smiled softly and kissed his cheek, a slight purring sound resonating within him before he seeked the younger’s eyes once more.

The eye contact seemed to break the spell that kept Jinyoung frozen and soon Jaebum had his arms full of an ecstatic merman, as Jinyoung looked like he was trying to merge both of their bodies into one by sheer proximity and hug strength alone, chirping joyfully while showering Jaebum's face with full on smooches. A deep satisfied rumble echoed from Jaebum’s chest as he hugged the happy mer who kept bombarding him with affection.

~~~~~~~~

Jaebum entered their cave, the darkness only broken by the moonlight that got through the clear waters. Laying in the soft sand, Jinyoung groggily turned towards him after having his sleep interrupted, illuminated by the soft moonlight. Jaebum felt his breath come short looking at the younger, he looked ephemeral, his scales shining softly not only with the scarce light but also with health, the pregnancy lending them a whole new glow. His eyes drifted towards his midsection, the steadily growing belly filled with the new life they had created together and Jaebum felt himself preening inside with the pride of not only getting a beautiful mate, but also to have him carry their offspring. He quietly swam near Jinyoung to lay down with him and pull him into his arms, a task that was not as easy as it had been before, but he would not trade the reason for it for anything. Jinyoung promptly relaxed in his embrace, not feeling the need to keep his guard up as he had when he was alone while Jaebum hunted, knowing fully well that his mate would keep them both safe. Jaebum could not help but smile as the blue tailed merman snuggled even closer to him, burying his nose in his neck while pulling his own tail over the red one, searching for comfort,even letting out a small hum at the satisfaction this new position gave him.  
If everything went right, in a couple of months they would have their baby with them, and their family of two would become a family of three.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been really hard to write with my new job and I'm not really feeling too motivated to keep up with this particular story but I also hate to leave things unfinished, I'm thinking of having perhaps one more chapter because I have a particular scene that I wanted to write since the beginning. I don't know what you guys think...


	7. Stormy Night

Those last weeks, Jinyoung was not even attempting to leave their cave when Jaebum was out, pregnancy almost to term making him more vulnerable and neither him or Jaebum had wanted to risk and attack, an injury or anything that could be consequential to their baby, little Hyunjin. He was however getting fidgety for not getting to spend too much time outside, which also meant he wasn’t able to get the random objects and plants his inner self was itching to bring inside and build a nest with. Yes, he and Jaebum already had one for both of them, but it was not the same thing when a baby was on the way, Jinyoung felt the need to make his home more comfortable for the birth and the first days after it.

Fortunately, when Jaebum arrived home, he was finally able to leave the cave, feeling safe with his mate in close proximity. He missed the fond look in Jaebum's eyes as he picked minutiously the algae, sea sponges and corals he’d bring to the cave, having Jaebum volunteer to carry all of it back to the nest.

When they returned home, Jinyoung started improving the nest immediately, filling it with colors and soft materials. While Jaebum had started to help, the blue tailed merman let a smile light up his face, as it was a paralel of how they were both making the effort of building their future together.

In the end, all the work was worth it when they laid down to rest and were the most comfortable they had ever been.

~~~~~~~~

Everything had been going well, even if the pair’s restlessness had been increasing as time was going by.

That is until in a stormy night Jinyoung all but kicked Jaebum out of the cave, signaling the impending birth of their child. Although having one of the mated pair rejecting a baby was rare, it was not unheard of, and Jinyoung instinctively did not want anyone near in what would be his most vulnerable state, which meant even his mate would not be allowed near him, under the threat of being attacked as the blue tailed mer’s rational side would retract in order to deal with the surge of pain, hormones and overall experience of bringing a living being into the world.

As the sound of the storm resonated inside Jaebum's skull, so did Jinyoung's screams of agony. He could figure out the shape of the younger mer swimming restlessly inside the cave and whose cries of pain reverberated through the waters as scent of his blood made them thick and nauseating to breathe. Jaebum ranged his teeth together as he kept himself from moving closer, wishing he could be next to Jinyoung, but he knew that at this stage, he would only bring added stress to the mer in labor, so he kept himself far enough that the scent of his own distress would not reach the cave while keeping close enough to fend off any threat or to hear Jinyoung if he called for him.

And it seemed that had really been the correct endeavor, as Jaebum spotted a great white shark which had been attracted by the scent of blood and was making his way towards the cave. Just before the fish was able to approach further, the ruby tailed mer tried to distract him, he was however only able to divert its focus when Jaebum smacked his tail against it. Having successfully distracted the animal, Jaebum kept taunting it, leading it further away from his mate, he was aware however that once the shark had found the trail of blood, there were only two ways to keep Jinyoung and his unborn child safe. He either could lead the great white far far away, until it could no longer find their cave or Jaebum would have to kill it.

~~~~~~~~

Pain, pain, pain.

Jinyoung hunched his body as he swam on the cave, whatever remained coherent of his mind told him to keep up even if his body screamed in agony. The waters were saturating with his blood, but as he reached down and felt the fin of the baby, he knew that he would be capable to do it, even if he felt like he was getting weaker.

~~~~~~~~

Pain, pain was what Jaebum felt when the shark barely missed to get his arm, it had been enough for its teeth to graze the flesh, to make it sting with a couple of gashes that would require quite a lot to heal if he was to survive the encounter.

He grabbed his hunting spear tightly and attacked the great white, but the unfortunate angle only lead him to miss, the strike only making him successful on losing his weapon. The only resource he had left being his wit and his fists.

Jaebum punched the shark on the sensitive gills, trying to use its weaker spots to gain some advantage, his claws, usually retracted, were being fully used to fight the beast, looking for eyes and every part that could bê abused by their sharpness.

The fish however, rammed into his side, and while Jaebum had been able to miss the deadly teeth  this time, the impact had been enough to disorientate him, leaving him in a dangerous situation as he sunk to the sand. It seemed the shark had sensed his vulnerability as well because it quickly gained speed towards him. Desperate, Jaebum thought of Jinyoung, of the beautiful merman that he’d leave mateless and alone save for their baby, who he'd have to raise by himself. But it was then that from the corner of his eye he saw his last remaining of hope, for he found the spear he had lost.

With shark gaining proximity fast, Jaebum only had time to dart to the weapon, using the great white’s momentum against itself as it was unable to avoid the sharp spear that soon was embedded on the beast as the merman avoided the brunt of the collision.

Still shaken up from the encounter, Jaebum swam quickly towards home, worried that while he may had taken care of one threat, more could have arisen in the time he had been gone.

And truly, he felt a spike of fear when, approaching his cave, he smelled a scent that was neither his nor Jinyoung's underneath a cloying scent of blood.

~~~~~~~~

Panicking, Jaebum entered the cave, fear gripping his chest as his eyes darted all over the place until he saw a shivering Jinyoung, completely curled around himself. Near his tail’s fins, laid a mauled merman, his features completely disfigured and bloody. As the red tailed merman approached the younger, trying to reach towards him, Jinyoung hissed at Jaebum, snarl marring his face as he swung a clawed hand at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's kinda short, but the chapter I was writing was getting too big, so I split it in two.


	8. The End of It All

At last Jinyoung felt the baby existing his womb once and for all as he took him into his arms, clearing his nose and mouth and finally feeling relief as a powerful cry erupted from the tiny lungs. He kissed his little Hyunjin on the small forehead, bringing him closer to his chest, as he instinctively knew his baby would need all the nutrients he could possibly give to him. He then called for his mate, the sound of his voice resonating even with the strong storm that was audible from the cave where he now sat as he nursed Hyunjin. There was still a great deal of pain, but the hardest part was definitely through, or so he thought holding his newborn to his chest as a shadow made its way into the cavern.

A chill went down his spine as he noticed a foreign presence near them, cradling his baby close, he quickly inspected his surroundings, Panic rising as all his instincts screamt danger at him, Jinyoung finally noticed the threat. Hidden near the entrance of the cave, a merman with jagged teeth smiled creepily at him, almost unnoticeable of it wasn't for the malicious glint with which his eyes shone.

Dread filled the blue tailed merman especially when he noticed what, or better yet, who the stranger was looking at.

The moment Jinyoung saw the unwavering gaze directed at Hyunjin, he knew what the other was after. Typically, a fertile mer such as Jinyoung would not enter a new mating cycle for about the next two years after giving birth given he had to nurse the newborn and dedicate himself fully to raising the baby. That is, if his child survived, otherwise, upon losing a baby, his body and mind would forcefully seek to mate and attempt to conceive again, to help soothe the pain of losing a child when his maternal instincts would be at their peak.

That was most likely why the other mer was eyeing the newborn with such interest, after all, his only obstacle to subdue a fertile mer that would be able to give him his own offspring was a defenseless baby and his real target, the merman who was weakened after giving birth to the referred child.

After what seemed like an eternity, the threatening stranger finally approached Jinyoung, earning himself a hiss and a warning growl from the blue tailed merman who moved back, curled protectively around Hyunjin who, sensing the tension, broker into a wail, redirecting the intruder’s attention to his tiny body that Jinyoung attempted to desperately hide. As the focus shifted, he attacked.

The young parent saw red, and it took all of his will to lay his baby behind an algae covered rock that had been placed near the end of the cave, knowing fully well that he would not be able to fight and defend both of them with Hyunjin on his arms. His animalistic nature took full control of him as adrenaline pumped his body and he went berserk, distracting the bulky threatening merman from the fragile merbaby.

As the obviously older and stranger merman stroke, Jinyoung dodged and stroke back. It would be easier any other day, but this stormy night, Jinyoung had given birth, losing a lot of blood, and it was becoming evident very fast as he grew more and more exhausted when he avoided the sharp claws but started getting hit by his opponent’s tail an increasing amount of times, his own retaliation losing strength by the minute.

He wondered where his mate was, he knew he was the one asking Jaebum to leave the cave, but he also expected the older mer to respond to his calling. He was too tired to keep fighting for long, and eventually, an aimed blow to his head was too fast for him to dodge, the strength of it sending Jinyoung to spiral down the waters. The other merman grinned victoriously, hovering above the hurt merman until he noticed the red scale pending from his neck, which he mercilessly ripped off and threw to the side, chuckling as he noticed Jinyoung trying to reach towards it. However, the cry of the child shifted the monster’s attention towards the rock Jinyoung had hidden the baby behind, the blue tailed merman gathered his remaining strength, and on his desperation to defend his child, he cursed his missing mate before becoming absolutely feral as he screamt while launching himself to the invader, the instinct to protect was the only thing guiding him, he could not remember his name or why there was a sharp pain on his abdomen, but he remembered the strong bond to his offspring.

Between moments where his rational side blacked out, Jinyoung could only see his claws covered in red.

~~~~~~~

Jaebum backed up surprised at his mate's hostility towards him, he expected the younger to be able to recognize his own mate, but it seemed that was not the case.

Jaebum's heart was beating at a crazy speed, there was an intruder laying destroyed on the cave floor, reeking up the place after what had been an attack to his family, his mate was gone past feral to the point where he hadn’t recognize him, his body showing signs of a difficult fight and labor (he could still see the bloodied mass of flesh of what was probably the placenta discarded next to the younger), and their baby… He had no idea where their baby was, fear emanated from him as he tried to figure out where he might be.

He tried to approach Jinyoung again, slowly, but the younger kept a snarl on his face while he curled up closer to himself. The red tailed merman was able, however, to notice a small purplish shape between the younger's arms, and when he finally heard the most soft cooing sounds he understood that while Jinyoung was in such place where he did not even respond to his own name, as if the word meant nothing to him, he still cradled their tiny newborn with such undeniable care, shielding him from Jaebum with his own body, as his weakened state would probably not allow him to do much more now.

Immensely relieved his child was safe and that Jinyoung, even with everything else that had happened,  had survived, Jaebum looked at the body of the attacker. How he wished part of that damage had been inflicted by himself, but considering its state, he could see how Jinyoung had gone animalistic, flesh ripped apart, marks of claws rendering his face unrecognizable, gashes littering the body, a severed arm. Strange as it night be, he was proud of how fiercely Jinyoung had defended both the baby and himself. He gripped the pile of flesh and dragged it out of their cave under the ever so vigilant gaze of his mate, and he took the disgusting remains inside a sea canyon, far away from the cave, but close enough for him to be able to see if any threat would present itself.

Even if the scent of blood and death still remained, removing part of its source had certainly helped calm everyone down. Jinyoung still eyed him distrustingly, but the burden on his body had taken its toll, and he eventually passed out, still curled defensively around Hyunjin.

Jaebum could not wait to hold his child, but he knew that if Jinyoung woke up without the baby, he would most likely snap at him and they could end up hurting each other. So he just gathered his mate in his arms carefully and laid him in the nest which they had readied together.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a red glint shining at him and there, half buried in the sand, the scale he had gifted Jinyoung laid forgotten, much as he'd been forgotten by his mate. Eyeing Jinyoung’s neck, he could see where the small chain had provoked a redness when it had been ripped off from there. He picked it up and sat in a corner of the cave, keeping guard over his family while they slept.

~~~~~~~

The red tailed mer watched over his mate and baby while they rested. He kept himself half awake as it was hard to remain fully alert with the exhaustion, but as his head was about to drop, he heard Hyunjin crying, and he definitely felt more awake as he saw Jinyoung arouse, cradling his baby close to his chest before cooing at him as he began nursing. Now, that Jinyoung was not actively trying to hide the child he could see the purple color of his tail and the red and blue reflexes it gained in the soft morning light.

The calm picture was however broken when the blue tailed mer noticed Jaebum watching them. He growled lightly, inspecting his surroundings as much as he could without having Jaebum come out of his sight. He finally seemed to calm down slightly when he noticed that not only he was laying in the nest, but the red tailed merman had made no move towards him and Hyunjin.

Eventually, as the babe fell asleep once more, Jinyoung laid him in the nest, before hiding him from Jaebum with his body. The older male couldn’t help but feel discouraged by his mate’s rejection, but he had not been able yet to dwell on his thoughts when Jinyoung widened his eyes and, faster that anyone would have expected given his body’s condition, he ripped the small chain from where it rested in Jaebum’s hand, cradling it towards him.

It was now time for Jaebum to widen his own eyes, for Jinyoung to have recognized the object and hold on to it the way he had, it meant that there was hope for him to eventually recognize Jaebum.

A flicker of recognition shone in Jinyoung’s eyes as he compared the red scale in his hand to the red scales from the unmoving merman in the cave. Ever so slowly, as if fearing a sudden attack, Jinyoung moved towards Jaebum, sniffing lightly when he got closer. His stance lost part of its defensiveness when he could find no ill intent from the red tailed merman and instead, found a sense of familiarity coming from him.

Jaebum, on the other hand, stood still as Jinyoung examined him throughly, hoping beyond all that his mate would recognize him. He inhaled sharply as the merman reached towards his face, sustaining his breath as the other extended his index finger to touch the twin moles above his eye, his other hand tracing his jaw.

He, however, could not keep himself from letting go of a heartbroken whimper, and immediately afterwards, Jaebum heard his name being muttered from the other’s lips.

It was then that suddenly he had a shivering merman in his arms, whispering his name over and over and he felt like collapsing from relief, embracing Jinyoung tightly against him as they both cried in each other’s arms, tears of relief, tears of fear for what could have happened, tears of happiness for having been able to go through it all.

When Jinyoung made a motion to back up from Jaebum’s embrace, the latter just gripped him tighter and whined, refusing to let go of his mate after all they had been through, but Jinyoung shushed him kindly, releasing himself before taking his hand and swimming towards their nest. There, he carefully picked Hyunjin up and deposited him in a surprised Jaebum’s arms.

Holding the merbaby in his arms for the very first time, Jaebum cooed at the child, beaming at the chubby face that rested against his chest. His eyes were seemingly glued to the baby, and only changed their focus when Jinyoung pressed a kiss on his cheek before nuzzling against his side laying down against him. It was then that he noticed again how tired he was, as he saw Jinyoung finally letting his guard down.

Laying down in front of him, they both curled protectively around their baby, and for the first time in many days, he fell in a calm contented sleep, together with his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! here it is! I'm glad I decided to split this chapter because man, it got a bit longer than what I've written lately for each chapter!
> 
> Gosh, I can only write angsty stuff when thinking about all the fluff I'll get to add later XD
> 
> Man, it was hard, I wanted to try to write a whole story without dialog, seeming if it was possible and what kind of feel it transmitted, to see if it was what I wanted to achieve but I won't know for certain unless you guys tell me what you think about it!
> 
> I have a lot of ideas for new fics, but doing my master's as well as my full time job I'm afraid they'll take a while before they get here.
> 
> Pls tell me what you think of this story, strong points, weak points, I'm interested in getting better!
> 
> <3


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